Mahurangi East Library
7th March 2020 Facebook post
Seaweed, Shore Birds and Shore Words was a great success last night at Mahurangi East Library.
The jovial bunch of spectators started arriving from about 6:40 onwards with their $5 cover charge in support of ‘Bird Lady’ Michele MacKenzie.
Most had adhered to our BYOG message and were able to mix and mingle with their complimentary glass of Matakana Estate wine. Our trusty Friends of Mahurangi East Library ladies soon rustled up a spare glass for those who had forgotten. They were also able to sign up a few new members – welcome aboard.
There was a real Friday night buzz as Trevor and Cath co-ordinated their merry band of Seaweeds, including Friends Committee member Sandy, twanging and tuning their Ukes in readiness.
Then we were off down the Mahurangi River, the Warkworth & Districts settler song played, there was Pearly Shells, a special Matakana River song, Sailor stop your roaming, Sailing Away, I am Sailing…All of our favourite sea songs had us toe tapping and singing along.
Then after a slight technical hitch David saved the day with his HDMI cable from home while the Friends served a scrumptious supper, complete with tea and coffee.
Michele gave a rousing presentation on our amazing local bird life. Her plea is that as a Community we keep speaking up to ensure that the environment of our critically endangered birds continues to feature in developmental planning. Given that our little neighbourhoods are set to expand.
Unlike the Residents & Ratepayers talk which she presented to a different sort of audience earlier in the week, we were treated to the story of Little Dot and Donald the stoic Dotterel parents.
The bond that Michele created with these birds parallels ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ for human and animal/bird interaction, for the potential impact that Michele’s dedication could have both nationwide and internationally. Her photography holds the pictures that speak a thousand words.
When asked about the threat of dogs, Michele noted that she had been chased 400 metres down the beach by a purple faced man with veins bulging. An audience member noted that with three quarters of the beach to walk dogs on, what was the problem? In reply Michele said, ‘ you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar’ and she hoped dog owners would ‘come around’ in the future.
It was time to reach for the tissues as the story of the life of Munchkin, the smallest and late blooming Dotterel chick unfolded. Little Muchkin didn’t make it. But it sounds like you might have to wait for the book or the documentary to find out more?
The evening finished with a very small open mic session (people will have to save up their material for the return of Winter Words in May). But we couldn’t finish the night without Gordon Leslie’s Dotterel poem. Jenny B snuck in the tale of Hori the Titi (Muttonbird) and Cath DK shared a very Aesop’s tale-esque piece on ‘Caitlin the Crow’.
Thankyou to all involved for a truly wonderful local gathering. It was great to have voices from the SSOSI Sandspit Environment Group and thankyou to our lady from Martins Bay who shared the gut wrenching story of how her beloved nest was trampled by party goers on the beach. Cath shared the great stuff happening on the Baddleys end of Kawau Bay.
Many of us are taking Community actions in our own little neighbourhood pockets but there is great potential to connect as a Mahurangi East Peninsula voice, or just a Kawau Bay response?
With so many passionate people surely the future is looking brighter for our local ecology?